Big Ten Softball Lifts Lid on 2014 Season This Weekend

ROSEMONT, Ill. - The 2014 Big Ten softball season will begin this weekend with all12 conference teams taking to the diamond. On Friday, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa,Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State andWisconsin will open the year at various tournaments around the country, whileMichigan and Purdue are set to begin the campaign on Saturday.

Reigning Big Ten Champion Michigan and Nebraska both appear among the top 10 of eachpreseason poll. The Wolverines are ranked No. 5 in both the USA Softball andNational Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) ballot, and the Cornhuskers are No. 9in both rankings. Reigning Big Ten Tournament Champion Wisconsin also received votesin each poll, while Minnesota and Iowa collected votes in the USA Softball preseasonballot.

2014 Big Ten Softball Storylines:

- The Big Ten returns 25 All-Conference performers from last season,including Big Ten Player of the Year Sierra Romero from Michigan, and Pitcher of theYear Tatum Edwards of Nebraska. Nine of the Big Ten's 12 teams will return at leastone All-Big Ten player.

- Twelve returning Big Ten players were named All-Region performers lastseason, including second-team NFCA All-Americans Romero and Edwards from Michigan,and Kaitlin Richardson of Minnesota, who was named a third-team All-American.